Conference Under Quarantine...

Conference Under Quarantine…

Published April 7, 2020

We’re Bringing the Resources To You!

By: Jennifer Wilson

There is no denying the heartache felt around the world in this unexpected climate. On a global level, we are experiencing a full-blown pandemic. With public health in mind, quarantines have continued to spread, and many doors have closed. It’s been a whirlwind of emotions. Or as we in YA like to say – “ALL the feels.”

Resources that will inspire you to keep writing, keep pitching, and keep going.

But there is a proverbial silver lining. While we practice physical social distancing, the World Wide Web has allowed us to be alone together. Not to mention the plethora of information it puts at our constantly typing fingertips.

Let’s get real, for all the good content out there, there’s a bazillion more not-so-great resources to weed out. So, we’re doing it for you and bringing conference to your desktop.

Now, enough of my words—let’s check out what PPW and the 2020 guests, staff, and colleagues have to share:

PPW Presents:

April 2020 Write Drunk, Edit Sober: Presented ONLINE Apr 08, 2020 — 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Pitch Your Book: Loglines, Synopses and Queries that Hook & Hold April 11, 2020 — presented by; Chris Mandeville

Write Brain: Zen and the Art of Parody April 21, 2020 — presented by; R.J. Rowley

Pitching:

How To Pitch Your Manuscript – Chris Mandeville, Author

Write From the Seed – James Persichetti, Lost Hat Editorial Services

Don’t Go Crazy with Your Comps – Angie Hodapp, Director of Literary Development at Nelson Literary Agency

Start Here: How to Write a Book Proposal (Non-fiction) – Jane Friedman, Author & Editor

Publishing:

25 Steps to Being a Traditionally Published Author – Delilah S. Dawson, NY Time Bestselling Author

Indie vs Traditional – Which Would You Choose? – Jennifer Lovett, founder of Writer Nation

Writing Skills:

15 Blood-spattered Tips for Writing Violence – Delilah S. Dawson, NY Time Bestselling Author

Electrifying Emotion – James Persichetti, Lost Hat Editorial Services & David R Slayton, Author

8 Ways to Make Your Characters Sound Distinctive – Laura DiSilverio, national bestselling and award-winning author

Writing from an Editor’s Perspective Podcast – Tom Hoeler, Associate Editor at Del Rey Books

Successful Queries Start with Honing Your Craft – Jennifer Wilson, Author

Juggling Multiple Projects – Catherine Dilts, Author

Character Profiling — Are You Missing the Spark? – K.J. Scrim, Writer & Managing Editor of the PPW Blog

How to Structure Your Novel: Story Arc and Character Arc – Jason Henry Evans, Author

Author Brand & Marketing:

Effective Social Media Marketing – Claire McKinney, founder and CEO of Claire McKinney PR, LLC and Plum Bay Publishing, LLC.

Author Branding – How Are You Different? – Jennifer Lovett, founder of Writer Nation

How’s Your #Hashtag Game? – Jennifer Lovett, founder of Writer Nation

Do it Yourself Book Marketing – Jason Evans, Author

Defining Your Author Brand – Sandra Beckwith, Author

Connect with other writers online:

Facebook, Facebook, Facebook – No joke! Use the Google machine to look up “Facebook writers groups for + your genre.” You will be shocked by how many groups are out there. Start with Pikes Peak Writers! (FREE!!)

Manuscript Academy – Still want to take classes, but quarantine got you locked down? The Manuscript Academy offers online courses. Brace yourself, it’s a bit pricey for us starving writers. But their free podcast has great insights and they occasionally host free webinars. ($49 – $69 per month)

NaNoWriMo – Writing a novel alone can be difficult, even for seasoned writers. NaNoWriMo helps you track your progress, set milestones, connect with other writers in a vast community, and participate in events that are designed to make sure you finish your novel. Oh, and best of all, it’s free! (FREE!!)

Pitch Wars – Pitch Wars is a mentoring program where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions on how to make the manuscript shine for an agent showcase. (FREE!!)

Writers Club Live – Author, ghostwriter, and book coach Christine Whitmarsh hosts live virtual workshops focusing on the art and science of writing your book. She’s even offering structured sessions to provide ample collaboration and quiet work time at a fair cost. ($19 – $29 per month)

Craft books?

Why, yes please! (PS many local book stores are delivering – don’t forget to support them too!)

The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience – Chuck Wendig

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

On Writing by Stephen King

The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler

The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by

Cheryl B. Klein

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel – by Jessica Brody

True to our 2019 conference slogan “It takes a tribe,” now more than ever, my friends, is the time to #SupportEachOther. I hope these resources inspire you to keep writing, keep pitching and keep going. Share these articles with your friends and remember to thank the contributors on social media.

It’s okay to lament the cancellation of the 2020 Pikes Peak Writers Conference. It’s not often we introverts want to come out and play. Even though there will be no hugging of old friends or toasting a long day over evening drinks this year, PPWC is still here to help you further your writing skills and connect with other writers in a safe way.

Stay healthy. Stay home. Stay supportive.

For the latest news on the Coronavirus, please refer to CDC.gov.

Jennifer Wilson is the #1 Amazon bestselling author of the young adult New World Series. The gripping trilogy spans Rising, Ashes, and Inferno. Jennifer is constantly on the move, always working on her next story line and drinking way too much coffee. When not writing, she is enjoying life in Colorado, rock climbing, camping, exploring new foods, playing with her golden retriever, Duke, and sharing life with her heroically supportive hubby. You can connect and nerd out with Jennifer on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on her website.